As our history teachers taught us…. Washington was our first President, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He presided over the convention that drafted the United States Constitution, which remains the supreme law of our land.

My late friend and generous sponsor, Four-Star General Robert Herres, then USAA Chairman, graciously wrote the Foreword of the second edition of my book, Customer Loyalty. General Washington was the focus of his comments. Here’s an excerpt:

“Years ago, I read a comment by George Washington on the “essential characteristics or traits of the general officers of the Continental Army: character, professional ability, integrity, prudence and loyalty. Many times since, I have thought how timeless and relevant this formula is—not just for military people, but for people in the business world and, in fact, in any professional endeavor. In the language of his day, General Washington spoke of the importance of competence (professional ability), good judgment (prudence), and the enduring virtues of character, integrity and loyalty. Reflecting on these qualities, it seems to me that the first four attributes when acquired and sustained will ultimately inspire the latter: the precious but elusive presence of loyalty.”

This Fourth of July I give thanks to God for the competence, prudence, character, integrity and loyalty that Washington modeled and instilled into our Continental Army. They made grave sacrifices that drove the birth of our great country.

I am also indebted to General Herres for his loyalty and deep service to our country and for his invaluable contributions to my life.

Published by the C Suite Network

By Jill Griffin – Author of the new book, Earn Your Seat On a Corporate Board

New York Times reporter, Elizabeth Olson, shares stats that reflect the “still lagging” indicators on efforts to diversify America’s corporate boards.

Here’s a few highlights from her insightful “Barriers to Boards” article:

· While 399 new directors were selected for top company boards last year, Hispanics claimed only 16 seats. This, while Hispanics comprise 17 percent of the overall U.S. population.

· In comparison, there are slight increases in African American representation, but a decline in the number of Asians and Asian-Americans selected to fill board seats.

· While the percentage of new women directors has risen each year, sources say the projection that women can reach parity with men in the number of new directors by 2024 has been projected downward. Now, 2026 is the projected year.

For example, the dearth of Hispanic board members appears to originate largely from the shortage of Hispanic chief executives, reports Cid C. Wilson, Chief Executive of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility. The bleak statistic is that only nine Hispanics currently serve as CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, while the U.S. has the second-largest Spanish-speaking population in world, second only to Mexico.

The pipeline of talented, board-ready minorities needs to be filled. Hispanics, African Americans, and women need to be nurtured as general managers, finance execs and operational leaders.

The push to get more diversity in boardrooms is still a steep hill to climb.

Networking is more than a fleeting conversation. It’s a series of interactions. These connections are vital to helping you search out board opportunities. Moreover, when companies hone in on one or two candidates, they’ll do reference checks among people they know and trust. As a result, it’s critical to continuously expand and enrich your network and get to know people who can vouch for you.

A Corporate Board is your “I’ve Made It” badge. It’s your opportunity to steer a company from the very top. Corporate board seats are scarce and competition is fierce. It’s “by invitation only”. Jill Griffin is a veteran NYSE corporate board director, internationally published, Harvard “Working Knowledge” author, and noted thought-leader on earning a public-company board seat. Are you board ready? It’s Your Turn Today…Jill Griffin tells you how to judge if you are ready to “Earn Your Seat on a Corporate Board” in her new book.